The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Life-Hacking

eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.
Image Credit: Dougal Waters/DigitalVision/GettyImages

Life is hard enough. Why shouldn't you make things easier for yourself when you can? Sure, you can't take shortcuts when you're filing your taxes or doing your job, but you can absolutely find simpler ways to keep your space clean, organized and beautiful – and we can show you how. From delicious recipe tricks to out-of-the-box crafting projects, these life hacks include a little something for everyone, and every home.

Advertisement

Kitchen/Cooking Hacks

Video of the Day

Getting Started

Your kitchen should be one of your favorite rooms in the house, but it's easy to get stuck in a kitchen rut. One day you look around and realize that all you do in there is throw together the same meals, wash the same dishes and wipe the same counters, over and over again. Or, if you've never been much of a cook, the kitchen might be a room you avoid altogether.

Advertisement

Video of the Day

It's time to reclaim your kitchen and make it a place where you actually want to hang out and enjoy yourself. Cooking should be ​fun​ – and it can be, even if you're not completely comfortable in the kitchen. All you need is a few basic tools, a recipe that interests you and the willingness to get your hands dirty.

Advertisement

Image Credit: Hinterhaus Productions/DigitalVision/GettyImages

Supplies You Need

Advertisement

Image Credit: Enrique Díaz / 7cero/Moment/GettyImages

Easy Projects for Beginners

Coffee Hack: How to Use a French Press to Make Espresso

Advertisement

How to Make Hot Chocolate Cocoa Bombs

10 Tasty Things to Make With Pizza Dough (Besides Pizza)

9 Must-Try Hacks for Delicious Homemade Cocktails

Advertisement

10 Viral TikTok Food Hacks That Will Blow Your Mind

Advertisement

How to Make Sour Patch Frozen Grapes

10 Life-Changing Hacks for Cooking Rice Perfectly

Advertisement

How to Make That Baked Feta Pasta From TikTok

How to Make Heart-Shaped Roasted Potatoes

How to Make Piñata Cupcakes

Advertisement

These 10 Fruit Hacks Will Blow Your Mind

10 Clever & Quirky Kitchen Gadgets You Didn't Know You Needed

10 Eco-Friendly & Sustainable Kitchen Products & Accessories

Help Groceries Stay Fresh Longer with These Clever Tips

10 Common Baking Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Cleaning Hacks

Image Credit: Dejan Marjanovic/iStock/GettyImages

Getting Started

Love it or hate it, cleaning has to get done. Until you win the lottery and hire someone to do it for you, cleaning will continue to be a necessary part of your everyday life. But it doesn't have to be a miserable chore that you dread. It doesn't have to take hours, or end with you having a headache from the fumes of chemical products.

Advertisement

There's an efficient and eco-friendly way to clean everything in your home, from your scummiest shower corners to your smelliest shoes. Prepare to start a love affair with vinegar and baking soda – they're about to become the most powerful tools in your cleaning arsenal.

Image Credit: Rawpixel/iStock/GettyImages

Supplies You Need

Image Credit: d3sign/Moment/GettyImages

Easy Projects for Beginners

How to Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer

10 Super Simple Sponge Hacks

How to Naturally Deodorize Smelly Shoes

10 Shockingly Easy DIY Solutions to Keep Your Car Squeaky Clean

How to Clean a Top Loading Washing Machine With Natural Ingredients

6 Chemical-Free DIY Solutions to Cleaning Your Bathroom

Advertisement

Homemade Glass and Mirror Cleaning Wipes

Easy Way to Clean Your Showerhead

10 Clever Refrigerator Cleaning Hacks

10 Genius Glass Cleaning Hacks

10 Dish Washing Hacks You'll Wish You Knew Sooner

10 Useful Cleaning Hacks to Keep Your Home Dust-Free

Closet Hacks

Image Credit: urfinguss/iStock/GettyImages

Getting Started

They say that a cluttered room is a sign of a cluttered mind – but what are cluttered closets a sign of? If you're like most people, your closets are some of the most disorganized areas of your home. Maybe you shove things in there and close the door before anything can fall out. Eventually, you dread even going near that door.

Wouldn't it be nice to actually admire your closet instead of cringe at it? It's possible, and well worth the effort. Once your closet is organized, keeping it that way is easy. The trick is to make sure there's a designated place for anything that might need to get stowed in there. All you'll really need is a variety of storage containers and a few hours of free time.

Image Credit: Damian Lugowski/iStock/GettyImages

Supplies You Need

Advertisement

Image Credit: AdShooter/E+/GettyImages

Easy Projects for Beginners

10 Space-Saving Dollar Store Closet Organization Hacks

11 Life-Changing Storage & Organization DIYs You Need to Try ASAP

How to Organize a Clothing Closet

How to Build a Custom Closet Organizer

10 Best Closet & Pantry Organizers in 2021

Sewing Hacks

Image Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages

Getting Started

Sewing is part practical life skill and part relaxing hobby – but before you get to the relaxation part, you're going to need to learn the basics. The first lesson? There's no reason to be intimidated by sewing, even if you've never picked up a needle before. This is one skill that almost anyone can develop through practice.

If you want to only do hand sewing, you don't even need much special equipment beyond fabric and needles. Hand sewing is useful for doing delicate or precise work, like sewing on buttons or hemming a sleeve.

Image Credit: Guido Mieth/Stone/GettyImages

Machine sewing is much faster and makes it easier to create uniform stitches than hand sewing. But if you're new to machine sewing, you'll need to familiarize yourself with your sewing machine first. Refer to the owners' manual for your specific model, or study the labeled sewing machine diagram on this post. Next, set up the machine on a table. (Check out this video for a basic overview of how to set up your sewing machine and how to wind a bobbin.)

Finally, you're ready to install a needle and thread the sewing machine; again, refer to your owners' manual for specific guidance. Grab some thin, non-stretchy fabric like cotton and start practicing with a super-simple project like a basic handkerchief. Your skills will improve with every new sewing project you attempt – and you won't believe how many adorable and useful things you can create with fabric and thread.

Image Credit: Halfpoint Images/Moment/GettyImages

Supplies You Need

Image Credit: Jeffrey Coolidge/Stone/GettyImages

Easy Projects for Beginners

Easy-Sew Handkerchief

How to Make Fabric Face Masks (No Sewing Machine Required)

DIY Washable Shopping Cart Handle Cover

9 Reusable & Eco-Friendly Sewing Projects

Add Pockets to a Skirt or Dress

DIY Fabric Firewood Carrier

DIY Padded Bike Seat Cover

How to Sew a Bike Pouch

How to Sew a Zippered Travel Pouch

How to Turn a Suede Jacket Into a Crossbody Bag

DIY Reusable Tortilla Warmer

How to Sew Custom Luggage Tags

How to Sew a Skillet Handle Cover

15 Nifty Jeans Hacks You'll Wish You Knew Sooner

DIY Handmade Fabric Baby Shoes

Decorating Hacks

Image Credit: Oscar Wong/Moment/GettyImages

Getting Started

You're constantly changing, so why should your home always look the same? Keeping your space fresh and visually interesting makes it a pleasure to walk through the door each day. You can't replace the furniture every time you're bored, but you can make smaller upgrades that pack just as much punch.

There are dozens of ways to revamp your space with minimal cost or effort required. For example, forgo pricy store-bought art and hack your own wall art using simple items like yarn, wooden dowels and even free paint chips. Engage the senses by making your own air fresheners and meditative mini Zen garden. Depending on how ambitious you're feeling, you may even be up for the task of building your own customized, Instagram-ready light box.

The best decorating hacks don't necessarily require tools, artistic talent or a lot of time. Adding plants to your space takes just minutes, and it's a surefire way to brighten up any space. And when in doubt, do as the interior designers do: Bring in more throw pillows.

Supplies You Need

Easy Projects for Beginners

Image Credit: KatarzynaBialasiewicz/iStock/GettyImages

How to Make a Bed Throw

10 Incredible Bed Hacks to Try

9 Ways to Make Your Bed Your New Best Friend

12 DIYs to Declutter and Organize Your Bedroom

16 Awesome Decor DIYs to Upgrade a Kid's Bedroom

Image Credit: Polina Strelkova/iStock/GettyImages


Create Your Own Stunning Succulent Terrarium

10 Tips & Tricks to Keep House Plants Alive

10 Hacks to Keep Your Flowers Fresh & Beautiful

Image Credit: Oscar Wong/Moment/GettyImages

DIY Macrame Feather Wall Hanging

DIY Mid-Century Inspired Paint Chip Wall Art Print

DIY Beach Driftwood Wall Art

Budget-Friendly DIY Yarn Wall Hangings

DIY Upcycled Puzzle Map Wall Art

How to Make a Mini Tabletop Zen Garden

DIY Natural Air Fresheners for Spring

Use Vintage Maps to Make These Super Cool Coasters

5 Awesome Etsy Gifts Made out of Recycled Materials

10 Home Products You Should DIY, Not Buy

How to Create a Lightbox That's All About Good Vibes

Create Your Own Sacred Meditation Space

Advertisement

Report an Issue

screenshot of the current page

Screenshot loading...